Introduction
The United States is composed of 50 states. Each state has a different story as to why and how they were founded, dating back to the 1770's.
Task
Each student is to pick a partner (only groups of two permitted).
The pair will decide which state they would like to visit.
Together, the students will research the state finding out:
- When the state was founded.
- Who was the first governor.
- Who is the current governor.
- What the state bird is.
- What was a fun fact you learned about the state
- Has anyone famous came from the particular state you chose
After the two of you have found the information listed above, the groups will create a unique poster displaying the information on the state of their choice. The group will present to the class and explain why they chose the state they did.
Process
At the beginning of class, the students will be put into groups of two. The groups will discuss and decide which state they will be 'traveling' to. One person from each group will line up and tell the teacher which state they chose. If a state has already been chosen, the group will have alloted time to discuss an alternative and decide.
Quick note: no one group will have the same state. There are 50 states and we want interesting presentations!
The class will be allowed three days in the computer lab and library to research their state.
By the end of the lesson, the students should have a poster with the following information available and ready to discuss:
- When the state was founded.
- Who was the first governor.
- Who is the current governor.
- What the state bird is.
- What was a fun fact you learned about the state
- Has anyone famous came from the particular state you chose
Evaluation
Students will illustrate and present a poster within their group pertaining to their chosen state. The students will research the required information and present the information in a unique way on their poster. This assignment will be worth a total of 50 points: 10 points per required information, 20 for creativity, and 20 for the presentation in front of their peers.
Conclusion
After this particular learning event, students will be able to comprehend the differences between states within the United States. This activity allows students to be more hands on and are able to be an active agent within their learning process.